World Premiere of Ghost Fetus Via Trap Door Theatre Now Playing Through September 27th, 2025

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Trap Door Theatre’s Trap Open Series Presents

The World Premiere of

Ghost Fetus

Written by Suz Evans

Directed by Anna Klos

Now Playing Through September 27th, 2025

Trap Door Theatre is thrilled to open its 32nd season with a World Premiere presented with the Trap Open Series: Ghost Fetus, written by Chicago playwright Suz Evans and directed by Anna Klos. Ghost Fetus will play September 11th –27th, 2025 at Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W Cortland St. in Chicago. Tickets are now on sale at trapdoortheatre.com or by calling (773)-384-0494. 

The cast includes Jenn Geiger, Tia Pinson, Lolo Ramos, Gus Thomas, and Jacqui Touchet

A ghost seeking revenge. A church caught in its own contradictions. Two queer teens reckoning with faith, fear, and desire. Anna Klos and Suz Evans bring you a haunting, hilarious, and heartfelt piece like no other.

The production team includes Anna Klos (Director), Richard Norwood (Lighting Designer),Suz Evans (Set Designer), Emily Nichelson (Costume Designer), Anna Kosicki (Assistant Costume Designer), Laila Eskin (Sound Designer), Chels Morgan (Intimacy/Violence Director), Gabrielle Owens (Stage Manager), Laura Nelson (Marketing), Lo Miles

Cast (in alphabetical order): Jenn Geiger (Craig), Tia Pinson (Ghost Fetus), Lolo Ramos(Whitney), Gus Thomas (Aaron), and Jacqui Touchet (Sarah Jane).

Location: Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland St. Chicago, IL 60622

Dates: Regular Run: Thursday, September 11th –Saturday, September 27th, 2025

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 pm.

Tickets: $22. Tickets are currently available at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/trapdoor/ghost-fetus or by calling (773) 384-0494.

Group tickets: Special group rates are available. For information, call (773) 384-0494 or email boxofficetrapdoor@gmail.com.

Plan your visit: Free street parking is available.

Buses: #9 (Ashland), #50 (Damen), #72 (North), #73 (Armitage).

Metra: Clybourn metra stop.

Accessibility:

Trap Door Theatre is wheelchair accessible.

About the Artists:

Suz Evans (Playwright) (they/them) (b Cincinnati 1990) is a playwright, set designer and visual artist with a background in printmaking and performance art. Their work delves into questions about identity, hierarchy, cultural deviance, relationships and grief. Evans has a BFA in printmaking and art history from Montserrat College of Art (2013). They have shown visual work at the Lily Pad (Cambridge MA), the Crane Estate of Ipswich (MA), SOWA open studios (Boston), the Boston Printmakers Biennial, Roots and Culture and Archer Beach House (Chicago) and unofficially made live work at places such as the Cincinnati Art Museum, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Mass MoCa, and Smith College Museum of Art.

Their first script, Childhood Beauty, was produced at Trap Door Theatre in 2019. In 2021 they wrote for adevised work at Trick Lock Theater (Albuquerque). Evans designed the set for Antigonik, directed at Trap Door by Anna Klos in 2024. Their puppetry work has also been performed at several YUCK! shows in Chicago in collaboration with Klos. 

Evans is committed to making work that examines their own childhood of fundamental Christian upbringing. Whether it’s deep dives into the impacts of pro-life ideology or obsessions with cultural moments such as Jane Fonda Workout videos, their plays are all in consideration of understanding what got us to the present. Ghost Fetus was written a year before Roe v.Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court. As Evans creates work about a life that feels far removed from a progressive city like Chicago we are reminded that ideas of the body, the reproduction system, and societal control are strongly rooted in our American culture.

Anna Klos (Director) (they/them) has worked with Trap Door for the last five seasons, and during thattime they have explored a myriad of projects, including: Antigonick (Director), The Ugly One (Assistant Director), Trap Door's 25/25 (Event Manager), Old Woman Broods (Actor), and Monsieur D'Eon is a Woman, The White Plague, Lipstick Lobotomy, Queen C, Decomposed Theater, The Martyrdom of PeterOhey (Chicago run and New York tour), Jeanne et le Feu, and Bowie in Warsaw (Stage Manager). Anna is grateful for clowns, their Trap family, and their partner, Suz.

About the Trap Open Series

The Trap Open Series explores non-traditional forms of playmaking, while developing and giving voice to the next generation of groundbreaking theater artists. In keeping with the promise to foster innovative forms of expression, Trap Door opens up its space to company members, as well as guest artists, to develop new work that exists outside the realm of a traditional theatrical run. These performances occur sporadically throughout the prime-time season as additional offerings during the week and late nights. Whether it is a workshop of a bold new play, a daylong performance installation, or a collaboration with artists from other mediums, Trap Open offers audiences thrilling, unexpected experiences while granting artists the opportunity to take risks that push their artistic practices to new heights.

About Trap Door Theatre

Trap Door Theatre is committed to seeking out challenging and obscure works. Whether a forgotten European classic, an international project rarely seen in the United States, or an untarnished piece of American literature, Trap Door seeks diverse voices and presents them through innovative expression. We mix established and imaginative techniques to illustrate theabsurdities of living in today’s society.

Trap Door Theatre is funded in part by The Paul M Angell Family Foundation, The CliffDwellers Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The John R Halligan Charitable Fund, The Reva and David Logan Foundation, and the generosity of individual donors.

For additional information, visit trapdoortheatre.com

REVIEW: Lifeline Theatre's World Premiere Production of RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS Through October 5, 2025

When Life's the Pits, Embrace The Cherries!

Black Joy and Rabbit Luck Abound in Lifeline's World Premiere

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

“RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS”

Developed in Lifeline’s 2024 BIPOC Workshop: Chicago Playwright’s Debut Production 

Run Time: 90 minutes

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

(L to R) Marcus D. Moore (Jasper), Simmery Branch (Harley), and Felicia McNeal (Inola). Improv students Jasper and Inola try a scene as Harley’s ancestors in Lifeline Theatre’s “Rabbits In Their Pockets” Photo credit for all: Josh Bernaski

I've always been fascinated by the idea that homes soak in the energy and emotions of what transpired there. Chicago playwright Kimberly Dixon-Mays, RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS takes this concept to the next level with the invention of walls that can store up black joy like solar panels. This play hits home in an era where DEI initiatives are being rolled back on the regular, lynchings are resurging, and black joy is under attack. 

It's fantastic that this play came to life through Lifeline’s 2024 BIPOC Developmental Workshop and firmly centers the lives of two very different black siblings and their struggle to reconnect as adults. I applaud the choice of productions outside of the white, male canon, and the strong representation of lead roles for both women and actors of color. Simmery Branch (Harley) and LaKecia Harris (Ash) expertly play siblings, whose conflict and connection is fascinating to see. Felisha McNeal (Inola) is also a hoot in her role as a cryptic ancestor/investor. We also enjoyed watching Marcus D. Moore (Jasper, R) in action.

Since Virginia Woolf's famous essay, the idea of a room of one's own, has captivated imaginations. It's particularly important for mothers, caregivers, and women to have a space of their own to retreat into and recharge, no matter how small, and the sisters saw this as children, in their Mother's cherry wallpapered hidey hole beneath the stairs. In RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS there's something so joyful and special about reclaiming sacred space, rekindling the bonds of blood, and moving forward together. I love the juxtaposition of old school, low tech, self care with futuristic, cutting edge invention, all in pursuit of joy. 

There's also quite a bit of humor and rabbit fun from an improv assignment to a full body, jump scare inducing bunny suit, complete with a giant furry head. 

Simmery Branch (Harley, L) coaches her improv student Marcus D. Moore (Jasper, R) as he tries to be a rabbit in Lifeline Theatre’s “Rabbits In Their Pockets”

It was such a pleasure to catch opening night of this playfully thought provoking piece. We'll be keeping an eye out for more work from playwright Kimberly Dixon-Mays whose insightful themes on human psychology and family dynamics are at once universal and deeply personal. And if that joy collector wall panel actually works, those wall will be oozing joy after the laughter and applause of opening weekend. 

Sisters LaKecia Harris (Ash, L) and Simmery Branch (Harley, R) meet after a long estrangement in Lifeline Theatre’s “Rabbits In Their Pockets” a world-premiere original comedy by Kimberly Dixon-Mays

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar. Recommended. Three out of four stars. ★★★ 

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly).

(L to R) Simmery Branch (Harley) and LaKecia Harris (Ash) play sisters who find shared joy in childhood memories 

Lifeline Theatre's World Premiere production of Kimberly Dixon-Mays’ RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS is directed by Christopher Wayland and running through October 5, 2025 on the Rogers Park theatre’s stage at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Tickets ($25 - $45) are now available at https://lifelinetheatre.com/.

(L to R) Simmery Branch (Harley) and LaKecia Harris (Ash) play siblings with very different approaches to life.

In the pursuit of joy, does method matter? Two siblings–opposites and estranged–take one last shot at putting grief behind them to create the joy they both seek. But their daring project can only succeed if they can accept each other's special magic. A world premiere original play by Chicago playwright Kimberly Dixon-Mays, RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS began in Lifeline’s 2024 BIPOC Developmental Workshop.

(L to R) LaKecia Harris (Ash) and Simmery Branch (Harley)

RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS PRODUCTION DETAILS

Title: RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS

Written By: Kimberly Dixon-Mays

Directed By: Christopher Wayland

Cast: LaKecia Harris (Ash), Simmery Branch (Harley), Marcus D. Moore (Teddy), and Felisha McNeal (Inola)

Production Crew: Maryha Paige (Stage Manager), Shokie Tseumah (Scenic and Props Designer), Joseph Nelson (Lighting and Projections Designer), Emily McConnell (Costume Designer), and Isaac Mandel (Sound Designer)

Dates: Now Playing Through October 5, 2025 

Schedule: Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Location: Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

Tickets: General Admission: $45

Military, student, and senior discounts available

Box Office:  info@lifelinetheatre.com or by phone at 773-761-4477

ABOUT LIFELINE THEATRE

Now in its 43rd season, Lifeline Theatre continues to explore, interpret, and reimagine books and other literary works to create stories that move us beyond the margins of our own lives. Lifeline Theatre – Big Stories, Up Close.

Lifeline Theatre’s MainStage programs are partially supported by the Carole Oppenheim and Jerome S. Lamet Charitable Fund; Illinois Arts Council Agency; Anonymous; Paul M. Angell Foundation; Rogers Park Social; S&C Electric Company Fund; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; The Saints; and the annual support of businesses and individuals. https://lifelinetheatre.com

(L to R) Simmery Branch (Harley) and LaKecia Harris (Ash) play siblings in Lifeline Theatre’s “Rabbits In Their Pockets” a world-premiere original comedy by Kimberly Dixon-Mays, directed by Christopher Wayland. Now running through Sunday, October 5. Lifeline Theatre is located at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Chicago, IL 60626. For tickets visit https://lifelinetheatre.com or call the box office at 773-761-4477. 

WORLD PREMIERE OF UNCLE CARLOS EXPLAINS Via SUBTEXT THEATER COMPANY September 5-27, 2025

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

SUBTEXT THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF 

UNCLE CARLOS EXPLAINS

THE STORY OF NEW ORLEANS MOB BOSS CARLOS MARCELLO’S BATTLE AGAINST BOBBY KENNEDY AND HIS ROLE IN THE JFK ASSASSINATION

September 5-27, 2025

This September Subtext Theater Company (STC) will stage a new work by Leigh Johnson, Uncle Carlos Explains. His name now lost to history, New Orleans mobster Carlos Marcello was at one time perhaps the most powerful mafioso in the country, his criminal empire stretching from the parishes of Louisiana to Dallas, Texas. In his own words, this proud, vicious man regales us with his criminal rise, his running afoul of Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and the almost inconceivable revenge he extracted against his hated nemesis.

In turn beguiling, accommodating, amusing, but ultimately terrifying, Chicago actor Andrew Pond skillfully portrays Marcello as a proud man consumed by his hatred of Bobby Kennedy and his single-minded purpose to “take this stone out of my shoe.” Sam Brittan (left) and Vito Vittore (right) round out the cast, portraying a variety of government officials and a rogue gallery of Marcello underlings.

The production is directed by STC Artistic Director and founding member Jonathan “Rocky” Hagloch. Managing Director/Artistic Director and founding member John Oster is producing and Sean Smyth is serving as the production stage manager. The set design is by Hagloch and Oster.  

Leigh Johnson is a long-time Chicago playwright, his numerous productions mainly exploring historical and familial issues. He is also a novelist and screenwriter. Leigh has received critical praise for his scripts A Brother’s Keeper (2015) A Prayer for the Sandinista’s (2017) A Bump on the Leg (2023) all produced by STC, Lefties (2013), Lotto Fever in the Sucker State (2014) and Little Stones (2018) all produced by the Saint Sebastian Players and Khe Sanh Bagman (2000) at Center Theatre.

STC is a professional, non-Equity 501c3 that was founded in 2015 and is dedicated to bringing powerful stories to the stage through an exploration of the meanings found inside, under and between the authors’ words. For more information about the company and its founders visit subtextnfp.org.

Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at St. Bonaventure Theater, 1625 W. Diversey, at Marshfield just west of Ashland, in Chicago. For a full list of production dates visit subtextnfp.org. Free parking is available in two lots. There are stairs but no elevator in the building. Full-priced Single tickets are $30; Sr/student tickets are 25.00, group rates are $20.00 for a group of ten or more. Ticketing at http://www.subtextnfp.org/box-office.html

All programming is subject to change. For information, call 773-908-6124 or visit subtextnfp.org.

Lucid Theater To Stage WORLD PREMIERE of Comedy BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY August 1-17 at The Edge Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Lucid Theater's World Premiere of

BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY 

by WELLS AND WELLES playwright Amy Crider

Directed by Iris Sowlat 

Opening August 2 at the Edge Theatre

An anxiety-ridden college professor faces crises in her career, her marriage and her family relationships while planning an 80th birthday party for her overbearing mother.

Featuring Kristie Berger, Kathleen Ruhl, Christopher Hainsworth, and Ada Grey

Iris Sowlat will direct Kristie Berger, Kathleen Ruhl, Christopher Hainsworth, and Ada Grey in World Premiere comedy

Lucid Theater will present the world premiere of BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY by Chicago playwright Amy Crider, whose WELLS AND WELLES was a breakout hit of summer 2024. In BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY, an anxiety-ridden college professor faces crises in her career, her marriage and her family relationships while planning an 80th birthday party for her overbearing mother. Neither medication, meditation, nor the tenets of Buddhism are enough to soothe her anxiety over the upcoming party or the ongoing challenges in her life. BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY will be performed at the Edge Theatre, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago from August 1 – 17. I'll be out for the Press Opening Saturday, August 2nd, so check back soon for my full review. 

BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY will be performed by a cast of Chicago stage veterans, led by Actors Equity member Kristie Berger as the insecure professor Pamela. Berger’s career includes roles at the Goodman, Steppenwolf, and Victory Gardens; as well as productions at storefronts including City Lit, Lifeline, Strawdog, and many others. Pamela’s difficult mother Roberta will be played by Kathleen Ruhl, an ensemble member at Redtwist Theatre, where she has performed in nine plays. Ruhl’s decades-long career includes two Jeff Awards (for supporting actress in DOLLY WEST’S KITCHEN and ensemble for THIS HAPPY BREED, both with TimeLine), and roles with Piven Theatre, Writers, and Shattered Globe. For Shattered Globe, she played the title role in FOR PETER PAN ON HER 70TH BIRTHDAY, written for her by her daughter Sarah Ruhl.

Pamela’s husband Lawrence, a self-assured philosophy professor, will be played by Christopher Hainsworth, a Lifeline Theatre ensemble member who has also performed with The Gift Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Factory, Strawdog Theatre Company, and The House Theatre of Chicago, among others. Ada Grey will play Jennifer, niece of Pamela and a free spirit who has returned from abroad for her grandmother’s party.  A pesky raccoon that is an habitual irritant to Pamela’s routine will be created and performed by Emilie Wingate of Flying Leap Productions.

Top Row L-R: Kristie Berger, Kathleen Ruhl.

Lower Row L-R: Christopher Hainsworth, Ada Grey

Iris Sowlat, a Chicago-based director who holds an MFA in Theatre Directing from University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she directed Sarah Ruhl’s ORLANDO and Lauren Gunderson’s EMILIE: LA MARQUISE DU CHATELET DEFENDS HER LIFE TONIGHT, will direct BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY. Sowlat’s previous Chicago directing credits include productions with Accidental Theatre Company, PrideArts, Piven, and others. Alvaro Ledesma is creating the sound and lighting design.

BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY has been in development for over a decade, starting as a ten-minute play written for a Scene Shop Showcase at Chicago Dramatists in 2014. Crider expanded it into a full-length play for a Chicago Dramatists’ Master Class in 2020, and it has received several readings since then.

Tickets for BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY are $38.00 and are on sale at  www.lucidtheater.com. Performances will be Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30, and Sundays at 3:00, from August 1 – 17 at the Edge Theatre, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago.

MORE INFORMATION

BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY

WORLD PREMIERE

Written by Amy Crider

Directed by Iris Sowlat.

Produced by Lucid Theater Company

August 1 - 17, 2025

Press Opening Saturday, August 2 at 7:30 pm

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30, and Sunday at 3:00

Edge Theatre, 5451 N, Broadway, Chicago

Tickets: $38, on sale at www.lucidtheater.com

Please visit www.lucidtheater.com for more information.

BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY is a comedy about anxiety, enlightenment, and raccoons. Pamela, an insecure history professor, is pressed by her husband to try medication for anxiety. She’s always counted on the benefits of meditation. Stressed by her overbearing mother and some relentless animals, she learns that liberation is open to all of us in a moment of grace. In the end, her journey is only beginning, and the raccoons will always be with us.  

BIOS

Amy Crider (Playwright) studied comedy at Second City, and attended workshops with Chicago Dramatists, Jackalope Theatre, and LaMaMa. Her last production, WELLS AND WELLES, produced in Chicago in July/August 2024, was a nominee for the 2025 ATCA/Steinberg Award. Her plays have won the Tennessee Williams One Act Play Contest, Word Wave, and New Plays from the Heartland. Two of her plays have been published by TRW. She is also the author two novels published by the University of New Orleans Press. Her podcast Continuous Dream is on Spotify. You’re welcome to find out more at www.amycrider.com

Iris Sowlat (Director) is a Chicago-based director who holds an MFA in Theatre Directing from University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she directed Sarah Ruhl’s ORLANDO and Lauren Gunderson’s EMILIE: LA MARQUISE DU CHATELET DEFENDS HER LIFE TONIGHT. This year, she directed Gunderson’s THE BOOK OF WILL for Triton College (as Adjunct Faculty) and will direct COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE by Rozina Kanchwala for Eco Logic (June 2025). Favorite Chicago directing credits include ROMEO AND JULIET (Accidental Shakespeare Company), JOAN OF ARC and UNDERWORLD ANTHEM (RhinoFest), THE DAYS ARE SHORTER (Pride Arts), ABCD (Piven Theatre) and NARRATIVES OF ACHROMATOPSIA and TURN THAT THING AROUND, (Chicago Fringe Festival), and three different sold-out fundraiser readings of Paula Kamen’s JANE: ABORTION AND THE UNDERGROUND. She has also worked with Northlight Theatre, About Face Theatre, American Theatre Company, Chicago Dramatists, Collaboraction, Broken Nose, Stage Left Theatre (former Artistic Associate), Possibilities Theatre Company, NoPassport Theatre Alliance, and many others. Iris is one half of the leadership (with Allison Fradkin) of the DIY queer feminist theatre Violet Surprise. In 2018, she was named one of WINDY CITY TIMES  “30 Under 30.” Find her on the web at www.IrisSowlat.com.

Kristie Berger (Pamela) last appeared in THE MOUSETRAP at Citadel Theatre. Regional theater credits include Barbara Fordham in AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY and Frankie in  FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE at The Human Race Theatre in Dayton; the long-running national tour of THE ODD COUPLE: FEMALE VERSION starring Barbara Eden; VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION, BUS STOP, and RESIDENT ALIEN at Nebraska Repertory Theatre.  Chicago area credits include Diane in THE BIRDS, Citadel Theatre; Jeanette in THE LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS, Illinois Theatre Center; THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, ALWAYS…PATSY CLINE, and THE ODD COUPLE: FEMALE VERSION, Apollo Theater. Other theaters she has worked with include the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Equity Library Theater, City Lit, Lifeline, Strawdog, Mary-Arrchie, Touchstone, Center Theater, and Absolute.  She also works in TV, voice-overs, commercials, films, and industrial films. Kristie is a proud member of Actors’ Equity. 

Ada Grey (Jennifer). Television credits include THE RED LINE (CBS), SHRINK (NBC), SIRENS (USA), and CHICAGO FIRE (NBC). Most recent credits at the London Academy of Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) include: DANCE NATION (LAMDA), CHAOS, SAINT GEORGE AND THE DRAGON, and OUR HOUSE. Chicago stage credits include NO HOME FOR BEES (20% Theatre), OUR TOWN (Redtwist Theatre), THE HAVEN PLACE and I AND MY IPHONE (A Red Orchid Youth), SCARCITY (Redtwist Theatre, Broadway World Chicago Nomination Best Actress), THE AWAKE (First Floor Theatre), THE HAMMER TRINITY (The House Theatre), TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (Oak Park Festival Theatre), JANE EYRE (Lifeline Theatre), MEN SHOULD WEEP (Griffin Theatre, Jeff Award Best Production), and SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR (The Hypocrites).  She recently graduated from London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art with a BA in acting. 

Christopher Hainsworth (Lawrence) is a Lifeline Theatre ensemble member, where he has performed in TREASURE ISLAND, NEVERWHERE, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, THE THREE MUSKETEERS, THE KILLER ANGELS, A TALE OF TWO CITIES, MISS HOLMES, FRANKENSTEIN and MISS HOLMES RETURNS; and penned the adaptations of HUNGER, MONSTROUS REGIMENT, MIDNIGHT COWBOY and FABLE-OUS! He has also worked for The Gift Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Factory, Strawdog Theatre Company, and The House Theatre of Chicago, among others.

Kathleen Ruhl (Roberta) Over many years in Chicago, Kathleen Ruhl has been lucky enough to have performed on a lot of stages with many wonderful actors and directors. She started on the Chicago City Players stage (four shows) which later became the TimeLine stage (three shows), where she won Jeffs for best supporting actor (DOLLY WEST’S KITCHEN) and member of a Best Ensemble (THIS HAPPY BREED). Kathleen did Shakespeare at the outdoor Court Theatre at the University of Chicago (MACBETH, TWELFTH NIGHT, and AS YOU LIKE IT) and Noel Coward at the “new” Court Theatre (HAY FEVER). She studied with Joyce Piven and performed in seven shows directed by Joyce at the Piven Theatre. Some of the other stages she has trod in Chicago and the northern suburbs include those at Writer’s Theatre (HEDDA GABLER), the Attic playhouse in Highwood (three shows), Shattered Globe (Peter Pan in FOR PETER PAN ON HER SEVENTIETH BIRTHDAY) and Music Theatre of Hyde Park (Sarah Brown in GUYS AND DOLLS). Kathleen is currently a company member at Redtwist, where she has done nine shows.

ABOUT LUCID THEATER COMPANY

Lucid Theater Company has been producing plays since 2017. Previous productions include LEDA (2017), CHARLIE JOHNSON READS ALL OF PROUST (2019), METADATA (2021), and A LEGACY (Rhinofest, 2023). The company also produces the podcast series of audio plays CONTINUOUS DREAM.

Mission:

Lucid Theater produces original plays with a broad range of subjects and styles. We center ideas and emotions to evoke thoughtful reflection, courageous choices, and compassion. Our goal is to fight against numbness and awaken our audiences to the richness and depth of emotional experience. Rather than replicate reality, we seek to reveal subjective experience for its dreamlike sensibility.

Values:

We honor the artist by paying everyone involved.

We commit to a respectful work environment.

We strive to hire female directors and leadership.

We pledge to listen deeply and question authentically.

We vow to uplift the human spirit.

World Premiere of A Red Orchid Theatre's VEAL - September 25 – November 2, 2025

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A Red Orchid Theatre Opens 33rd Season with World Premiere of

VEAL

By Jojo Jones

Directed by Ensemble Member dado 

September 25 – November 2, 2025

Pictured: The cast of A Red Orchid Theatre’s world premiere of Veal includes (left to right)

Jojo Brown, Alexandra Chopson, Carmia Imani, Jasper Johnson and Alice Wu.

A Red Orchid Theatre is pleased to open its 33rd Season with the world premiere of Jojo Jones’ dystopian dark comedy Veal, directed by Ensemble Member dado*, playing September 25 – November 2, 2025 at 1531 N. Wells St. in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood. Single tickets for Veal go on sale Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. Season subscriptions are currently available. The press openings are Saturday, October 4 at 3 pm and 7 pm.

Veal will feature Jojo Brown, Alexandra Chopson, Carmia Imani, Jasper Johnson and Alice Wu. Understudies include: Lola Fratto, Kaitlyn Gorman, Amy Yesom Kim, Sean McGlynn and Christin Prince.

About the Production:

Following a violent coup, a young woman named Chelsea becomes Queen of North America. Into her new palace walk three friends from middle school — Franny, Lulu and Noa — with whom she hasn’t spoken in years. They’ve come to ask Chelsea for a big favor, but before she grants it, she’s going to make them revisit their shared friendship — and its terrible end. 

*Denotes A Red Orchid Theatre Ensemble Member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Cast (in alphabetical order): Jojo Brown (Franny), Alexandra Chopson (Chelsea), Carmia Imani (Lulu), Jasper Johnson (Unnamed Male Concubine) and Alice Wu (Noa).

Understudies: Lola Fratto (u/s Franny), Kaitlyn Gorman (u/s Chelsea), Amy Yesom Kim (u/s Noa), Sean McGlynn (u/s Unnamed Male Concubine) and Christin Prince (u/s Lulu).

Location: A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, September 25 at 7 pm, Friday, September 26 at 7 pm, Saturday, September 27 at 7 pm, Sunday, September 28 at 3 pm, Thursday, October 2 at 7 pm and Friday, October 3 at 7 pm

Press performances: Saturday, October 4 at 3 pm and 7 pm

Opening: Sunday, October 5 at 6 pm

Regular run: Thursday, October 9 – Sunday, November 2, 2025

Curtain Times: Thursdays and Fridays at 7 pm; Saturdays 3 pm & 7 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will be an added Industry Night on Monday, October 20 at 7 pm

Tickets: Previews: $33 – $44*. Regular run: $55*. Access, student, senior, and group discounts available. Single tickets for Veal go on sale Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. Season subscriptions are currently available. *Ticket prices include a processing fee.

About the Artists:

Jojo Jones (Playwright, she/her) is a writer and performer from New York City. Her work has been read at The Jungle, A Red Orchid Theatre, The Tank, the Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research, and more. Her play Veal was nominated for the 2023 Venturous Fellowship and the Goldberg Prize and long listed for the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award. One time Wallace Shawn held the door open for her at the Jewish Community Center on 76th and Amsterdam.

dado (Director, she/her) Last season, dado directed Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin by Dianne Nora at A Red Orchid Theatre, as well as Lobster by Kallan Dana for the Wirtz Center at Northwestern University. Previously, dado directed Anna Ouyang Moench’s In Quietness (A Red Orchid), The Lover by Harold Pinter (with Yasen Peyankov at Facility Theatre), as well as Right Now by Catherine Anne Toupin (Facility Theatre) and People Places and Things by Duncan MacMillan (University of Illinois). Later this year she will direct Dance Nation by Clare Barron. She is currently teaching at the University of Illinois.

Jojo Brown (Franny, she/her) is a Chicago-born actress who made her A Red Orchid Theatre debut in The Room, directed by dado. Off-Broadway credits include CHARM (MCC Theater) and 7 Minutes (Waterwell). Chicago credits include The Brightest Thing in the World (About Face Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Two Pence) and Let Me Down Easy (American Theater Company). On television, she’s appeared in Single Drunk Female (Prime Video), Broad City (Comedy Central), Billions (SHOWTIME), Manifest (NBC), New Amsterdam (NBC), Younger (Paramount+) and Clean Slate (Prime Video). Her heart remains in the Chicago theatre scene.

Alexandra Chopson (Chelsea, she/her) is elated to be back at A Red Orchid Theatre! Last year, her performance in AROT’s production of In Quietness earned her a Jeff Award Nomination for Performer in a Supporting Role. Recent credits include Late, A Cowboy Song (Couch Penny Ensemble) and Noises Off (Steppenwolf, Dir. Anna D. Shapiro). Additional projects include work with The Gift Theatre, Chicago Dramatists and The Den Theater. Her first national commercial will be airing this fall. Originally from Nashville, Chopson is, of course, a singer/songwriter. She holds a BFA in Acting from Ball State University and is represented by Gray Talent Group.

Carmia Imani (Lulu, she/her) is thrilled to make her A Red Orchid Theatre debut! She’s a company member of PlayGround-Chicago and an ensemble member of A Short Leap Theatre Company. Chicago credits: Clearing (A Short Leap); Field of Flesh (Leisure); brother sister cyborg space (u/s, Raven Theatre). Regional: Skeleton Crew, Death of a Salesman (The Black Rep); Much Ado About Nothing (u/s, Commonwealth Shakespeare). She holds a BFA in Acting from Ball State University, where she produced AmeriKKKa (Best Film, Hoosier Films Festival 2021). She gives endless thanks to God, her family and friends for their unwavering support. Instagram: @carmiaimani

Jasper Johnson (Unnamed Male Concubine, he/him) is excited to work with A Red Orchid again, after understudying In Quietness. He’s worked with Drury Lane Theatre and Griffin Theatre Company, among others. TV: Chicago Med, Dark Matter. FILM: Young Men, Love Language, The Eden Theory. He is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University, and moonlights as an EMT in Chicago. He's represented by DDO Artists Agency and a member of SAG-AFTRA. Love to Sierra. yellowpadpictures.com           

Alice Wu (Noa, she/her) At A Red Orchid Theatre: Revolution (u/s), Staff Meal (Taste of Red Series). Select Chicago: Time is a Color... Blue (Avalanche Theatre), Sound, Instrument, Singing (Dizzy Turek), The Skin of Our Teeth (Remy Bumppo), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Midsommer Flight), Arabia, Arabia! (The Plagiarists), Select Regional: The Many Deaths of Nathan Stubblefield (Humana Festival), Circle Mirror Transformation (u/s) (Actors Theatre of Louisville). Select TV/Film: Chicago Fire (NBC); Empire (FOX); ESPN (ESPN); Wheelhouse (web), Tears to a Glass Eye (Jack Kenny). Education: BFA, NDSU; Professional Training Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville. Ensemble member: Avalanche Theatre, Red Theatre. Representation: DDO Artists Agency.

Sponsors: Production sponsor: The Colemans.

About A Red Orchid Theatre:

A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 32 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award-winning actors, playwrights and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories.  

A Red Orchid Theatre is: Karen Aldridge, Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Esteban Andres Cruz, Dado, Mike Durst, Sherman Edwards, Myron Elliott, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Levi Holloway, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, John Judd, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Travis A. Knight, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Sadieh Rifai, Grant Sabin, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers and Natalie West.  

Sponsor Information: 

A Red Orchid Theatre remains grateful for the support of our board, donors and loyal audience who continue to champion our ambitious and powerful storytelling. These sponsors help to create a platform for our talented Ensemble to reach new audiences, and ensure that we remain a source for honest, compassionate, and aesthetically rigorous theatre-making. 

A Red Orchid Theatre’s 33rd Season is sponsored by Heidi Graham. The production sponsor for Veal is The Colemans.

Interested in sponsoring a production? By partnering with us as a sponsor, you will help to take our work to the next level of artistic excellence, while also receiving deeper access to our artists and the creative process. To learn more, please contact Development Director Stephanie Shum at stephanie@aredorchidtheatre.org or (312) 943-8722. 

World Premiere of Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man Via The Village Theater at Rivendell Theatre July 17 - August 2, 2025

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

The Village Theater Presents the World Premiere of 

Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man

by Paul Michael Thomson

Directed by Clara Zucker

Poster design by Andi Muriel

The Village Theater's inaugural production is playing 

July 17th Through August 2nd at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

Regina (Reggie) runs a femme-centric feminist bookstore in Tucson, AZ. Artemis Books is a safe space for queer people, free expression, and womxn of all kinds. When her boss unexpectedly jumps ship, Reggie is stuck with a new hire: straight, white, cis-male JJ. Workplace romances, existential anxieties, and some questionable spell-casting abound as Reggie tries to reclaim her safe space. Does identity have to influence ideology? Does colonialism ever stop? And what in the actual hell is a “good guy”?

The production will run from July 17-August 2 at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Tickets can be purchased via the-village-theater.com/artemisbooks.

"Artemis Books and the Well-Meaning Man" will run from July 18 to August 3 at the Rivendell Theatre 5779 N. Ridge Ave. Please join us for our post-show dialogues following select matinee performances on July 19, July 20, and August 2-- beverages will be provided!

*PREVIEW IS THURSDAY, JULY 17. Discounted tickets available.*

*UNDERSTUDY PERFORMANCE IS WEDNESDAY, JULY 23.*

*INDUSTRY NIGHT IS MONDAY, JULY 28. Use code INDUSTRY for $10 tickets*

Seating is GA for Access and Standard Ticket levels. For Donor level tickets, seats will be reserved. The house will open 30 minutes before the performance's scheduled start time. If you have any questions or need accommodations, please email us at villagetheaterchi@gmail.com.

Performance Schedule

July 17th – August 2nd

7:30pm Thursday, July 17th, Preview Performance

8:00pm Friday, July 18th, Opening

8:00pm Thursdays and Fridays

3:00pm and 8:00pm Saturdays

3:00pm Sunday, July 20th

8:00pm Saturday, August 2nd Closing

Additional Performances

8:00pm Wednesday, July 23rd Understudy Performance

8:00pm Monday, July 28th Industry Night Performance

ARTEMIS BOOKS & THE WELL-MEANING MAN will be performed at:

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

5779 N. Ridge Avenue

Chicago, IL 60660

Tickets:the-village-theater.com/artemisbooks

Phone: (872) 529-6792

Email: villagetheaterchi@gmail.com

Tickets follow a pay-as-you-are model:

● Access tickets (limited quantity): $12

● Standard tickets: $25

● Donor tickets (includes a reserved seat): $50

ARTEMIS BOOKS & THE WELL-MEANING MAN is a topical and comedic examination of morality, identity, and community in a capitalist and patriarchal society. Set in a feminist bookstore in Tucson, AZ, the show follows the chaos that ensues when JJ, a straight, white, cis man, joins the staff. For The Village Theater’s debut performance, director Clara Zucker, also the co-artistic director of The Village, has selected a show that reflects The Village Theater’s values of amplifying marginalized voices, championing local organizations, and allowing the audience to engage with difficult questions.

Creative Team

Playwright: Paul Michael Tomson

Director: Clara Zucker*

Assistant Director: Carmia Imani

Stage Manager: Amanda Tancioco Rokosz

Scenic Designer: Katelyn Montgomery

Sound Designer: Satya Chávez

Lighting Designer: Joseph Nelson

Props Master: Averly Sheltraw

Costume Designer: Maggie McGlenn

Dramaturg: Naomi Kalter*

Intimacy Coordinator: Bailey McWilliams-Woods*

Producers: Lena Romano and Emily Newmark*

*denotes Village Team Member

Cast

Regina - Daniela Martinez (u/s Teri Talo)

Asha - Tierra Matthews (u/s Aysia Slade)

Emerson - Phoebe Jacobs (u/s Janey Elliott)

JJ - Kyle Roth (u/s Bryce Miller)

Paul Michael Thomson is a playwright, performer, producer, and PhD candidate based in Chicago. Nationally produced plays include: brother sister cyborg space (Raven Theatre); Fremont Junior High Is NOT Doing Oklahoma! (Good Company Theatre, Live Theatre Workshop); What a Time to Be Alive (You Say That Every Time) (Definition Theatre, Great Plains Theatre Commons); Leave Me Alone! (The Story Theatre); The G.O.A.T., or Who Is Ximone? (Theatre L'Acadie, O'Neill Center NPC Finalist); and more. 

As an actor, Paul Michael has worked onstage at Steppenwolf, Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, and Drury Lane, and his on-camera work includes: All Happy Families, Drawn Back Home, Chicago Med, and Chicago Justice. Paul Michael is a proud co-founder and Governing Ensemble member of The Story Theatre, where his producing credits include: At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, the love object, Marie Antoinette & the Magical Negroes, and The (W)rites of Summer new play festivals. He is a PhD candidate in Afro-American Studies through the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and his scholarly work has been published in Theatre History Studies, the Black Theatre Review, and Theatre Annual. He is represented by Gray Talent Group. Paul Michael's play Pot Girls will premiere with The Story Theatre in February 2026, in collaborative conversation with Raven Theatre's production of Top Girls by Caryl Churchill. He is honored to be a part of The Village Theater's inaugural production and stands in awe of this brilliant team and the village they're creating.

paulmichaelthomson.com @paulmichaelt

Clara Zucker*- Director (Co-Artistic Director of The Village Theater)

Clara Zucker is a Chicago-based director, playwright, and dramaturg. She is passionate about utilizing theater as a tool for social change and firmly believes in theater’s ability to uplift and unify diverse voices. 

Directing credits include the Midwest premiere of The Lacy Project (The Understudy), Sophie Sucks Face (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, shortlisted for best show for Edinburgh Comedian's Choice Awards), Doom Tank (Under St. Mark’s Theatre), Shayna Punim, The Aliens, Athena, Mr. Marmalade (Oberlin College). Past playwriting credits include Fishing for Whales (2024 Cherry Picking, New York, NY), and Shayna Punim (Oberlin College, Oberlin Ohio). Clara currently serves as the literary and dramaturgy apprentice at Goodman Theatre and is the dramaturg for the upcoming world premiere of Ashland Avenue (Dir. Susan Booth, Goodman Theatre). Clara holds a B.A. in Theater and American Studies from Oberlin College and is the recipient of the Nash Drama Award for exceptional achievement in Oberlin Theater. She would like to thank her family for making the trek from NYC and her community here in Chicago. It takes a village!

ARTEMIS BOOKS & THE WELL-MEANING MAN is the first production of The Village Theater’s inaugural season.

The production will run from July 18-August 2 at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Tickets can be purchased via the-village-theater.com/artemisbooks.

The Village Theater of Chicago is a director-driven collective that harnesses theater as an instrument for cultivating community. Through intimate storytelling, community partnerships, and post-show dialogues, we reveal the profound magic of human connection. Transformative art emerges from collaboration. After all, it takes a village.

Stay updated with The Village at our website https://www.the-village-theater.com/ and follow us on Instagram @the.village.theater

World Premiere of Billie Jean at Chicago Shakespeare Theater July 18–August 10, 2025 in The Yard

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Electrifying World Premiere Play 

Billie Jean

Based on the life of sports icon and equality champion Billie Jean King

by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Marc Bruni

Starring Chilina Kennedy in the title role

July 18 Through August 10, 2025 in The Yard

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents the world premiere play Billie Jean, about sports icon and equality champion Billie Jean King. Playwright Lauren Gunderson, one of the most-produced playwrights in the US, and director Marc Bruni (Broadway’s The Great Gatsby and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), team up to stage this empowering new look at a legend who shattered glass ceilings on and off the court. Following her path to becoming a sports icon, from her record-breaking victories to her relentless fight for equal pay and equal rights, Billie Jean explores the cost of public battles and private struggles—bringing us closer than ever before to a woman whose battle for identity and equality inspired and continues to inspire generations. The production runs July 18–August 10, 2025, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Chilina Kennedy stars as Billie Jean King, leading a cast that also includes Dan Amboyer, Julia Antonelli, Elena Hurst, Courtney Rikki Green, Wynn Harmon, Carolyn Holding, Jürgen Hooper, Callie Rachelle Johnson, Lenne Klingaman, Nancy Lemenager, and Murphy Taylor Smith.

Named one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century” by Life magazine, Billie Jean King is the first woman athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the first individual woman athlete to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. She is the founder of the Women’s Sports Foundation, the Women’s Tennis Association and the Billie Jean King Foundation. She is part of the ownership groups of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angel City FC and a member of the Advisory Board of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). In 2020, King became the first woman to have an annual global team sports event named in her honor when Fed Cup, the women’s world cup of tennis, was rebranded as the Billie Jean King Cup. The National Tennis Center, home of the US Open, was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in 2006 in honor of her accomplishments on and off the court.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s world premiere production of Billie Jean is developed by special arrangement with four-time Tony-winning producer Harriet Newman Leve (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, War Horse, Stomp) and Stephanie Sandberg (Country Lane Productions), with Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner (powerhouse creative duo in television, sound recording, film, theater, and animation for more than 40 years). 

Chilina Kennedy is best known for playing Carole King in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on Broadway for over 1,200 performances. Her Broadway credits include Myrtle in The Great Gatsby, Annie in Paradise Square, and Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar, and she starred in the first national tour of The Band’s Visit (Toronto Critics Award). Kennedy’s other selected credits include the Off-Broadway world premiere of This Ain’t No Disco, the world premiere of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Hartford Stage/The Old Globe in San Diego), and the one-woman play The Human Voice (filmed for Toronto’s Ontario International College). She spent three seasons each at the Shaw Festival Theatre and the Stratford Festival, with credits including Rose of Sharon in The Grapes of Wrath.

The cast also features Dan Amboyer (Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest and Uncoupled, TV Land’s Younger, NBC’s Blacklist: Redemption) as Larry King, Julia Antonelli (Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid, Netflix’s Outer Banks, Nickelodeon’s Every Witch Way and WITS Academy) as Young Billie Jean, and Elena Hurst (Becoming A Man and Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 at American Repertory Theater) as Rosie Casals, as well as Courtney Rikki Green (Henry V at CST, Romeo and Juliet at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Wynn Harmon (Porgy and Bess on Broadway), Carolyn Holding (HBO’s The Gilded Age, STARZ/Netflix’s Heels), Jürgen Hooper (The Comedy of Errors, Amadeus, and more at CST, Brighton Beach Memoirs on Broadway), Callie Rachelle Johnson (Hamlet at CST, Next to Normal at Drury Lane, Pal Joey at Porchlight), Lenne Klingaman (Waitress on Broadway and first national tour, The Underlying Chris at Second Stage), Nancy Lemenager (McNeal, Chicago, Never Gonna Dance, and more on Broadway), and Murphy Taylor Smith (A Transparent Musical at Center Theatre Group).

Understudies include Miles Borchard, Sydney Feldman, Kelli Harrington, Nathe Rowbotham, Hannah Ruwe, Marlene Slaughter, and Jocelyn Zamudio.

“It’s so exciting to be announcing this brilliant cast for Lauren Gunderson’s play about the heroic Billie Jean King,” shared Chicago Shakespeare’s artistic director Edward Hall. “Bringing thought-provoking and original drama into our repertoire alongside Shakespeare gives us and our audiences such a wonderful opportunity to explore the connections between Shakespeare’s world and ours. Billie Jean has left and continues to leave her mark on our world, helping to shape our thoughts and challenge accepted societal norms. It is a joy and a privilege to be bringing this play to CST first.”

Playwright Lauren Gunderson has been one of the most produced playwrights in America since 2015, topping the list thrice. She is a two-time winner of the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for I and You and The Book of Will, the winner of the William Inge Distinguished Achievement in Theatre Award, the Lanford Wilson Award, and a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Her plays have been translated into a dozen languages and are produced across the world including the West End. Her anthology, Revolutionary Women, is published by Bloomsbury, where her play I and You is a “modern classic.”

Gunderson shared, “CST is the perfect place to launch this new play about Billie Jean King, her activism, and her ongoing impact on the world. Her story is a hero’s journey, and the house of Shakespeare’s heroes is a fitting home for this theatrical debut about excellence, equality, and heart. We want this play to be an exploration of contrast: instantly recognizable and also deeply surprising; athletic and also theatrical; heartfelt and heroic. I am honored and thrilled to have Billie Jean be a part of CST’s season.”

Director Marc Bruni’s credits include The Great Gatsby, currently running on Broadway and the West End as well as the Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on Broadway, in the West End, US and UK Tours, and in Australia. He also directed Trevor: The Musical which was filmed Off-Broadway at Stage 42 and now streams on Disney+. Bruni was Jeff Award-nominated for Chicago credits Trevor at Writers Theatre and Old Jews Telling Jokes at the Royal George, and his many additional credits include Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, How to Succeed in Business..., 50 Years of Broadway (Kennedy Center), and Hey, Look Me Over!, Paint Your Wagon, Pipe Dream and Fanny (City Center Encores!).

Billie Jean features movement direction by Steph Paul (Sanctuary City at Steppenwolf Theatre, Nobody Loves You at American Conservatory Theater), scenic design by Wilson Chin (Cost of Living and Pass Over on Broadway), costume design by Linda Cho (Two Noble Kinsmen, Othello, and Mary Stewart at CST, Tony Award winner for The Great Gatsby and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder on Broadway), lighting design by Jen Schriever (Tony Award nominee for A Strange Loop and Death of a Salesman on Broadway), sound design by Jane Shaw (credits at Theater for a New Audience, Roundabout Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons and many more), and video and projection design by David Bengali (Tony Award nominee for Water for Elephants). The creative team also includes Chels Morgan (Intimacy Coordinator), Eva Breneman (Dialect Coach), Tom Watson (Hair & Makeup Designer),The Telsey Office | Karyn Casl CSA & Charlie Hano CSA (Casting), Bob Mason (Chicago Casting), Amy Marie Seidel (Associate Director), Lily Tomasic (Assistant Scenic Designer),

Herin Kaputkin (Assistant Costume Designer), Colleen Doherty (Assistant Lighting Designer), Taylor Edelle Stuart (Associate Video Designer), Kristi J. Martens (Production Stage Manager, Amanda Blanco (Assistant Stage Manager), and Ethan Coon (Production Assistant).

More information at chicagoshakes.com/billiejean or on social media at @chicagoshakes.

Billie Jean By Lauren Gunderson

Directed by Marc Bruni

July 18 – August 10, 2025

The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

• Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.

• Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (no matinee July 23)

• Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.

• Fridays at 7:30 p.m.

• Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

• Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Chicago Shakespeare strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons. Accessible seating, assistive

listening devices, large-print and Braille programs, and sensory tools are available at every performance. Enhanced

performances include:

• Audio-described performance – Sunday, August 3 at 2:30 p.m.

A program that provides spoken narration of a play’s key visual elements for patrons who are blind or have low vision.

• Open captioned performance – Wednesday, August 6 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

• ASL interpreted performance – Friday, August 8 at 7:30 p.m.

All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters

Creative Team

Lauren Gunderson - Writer

Marc Bruni - Director

Steph Paul – Movement Director

Wilson Chin - Scenic Designer

Linda Cho - Costume Designer

Jen Schriever - Lighting Designer

Jane Shaw - Sound Designer

David Bengali - Video & Projections Designer

Chels Morgan - Intimacy Coordinator

Eva Breneman - Dialect Coach

Tom Watson - Hair & Makeup Designer

The Telsey Office | Karyn Casl CSA & Charlie Hano CSA - Casting

Bob Mason - Chicago Casting

Amy Marie Seidel - Associate Director

Lily Tomasic - Assistant Scenic Designer

Herin Kaputkin - Assistant Costume Designer

Colleen Doherty - Assistant Lighting Designer

Taylor Edelle Stuart - Associate Video Designer

Kristi J. Martens - Production Stage Manager

Amanda Blanco - Assistant Stage Manager

Ethan Coon - Production Assistant

Cast

Chilina Kennedy - Billie Jean King

Dan Amboyer - Larry King

Julia Antonelli - Young Billie Jean

Courtney Rikki Green - Woman Two

Wynn Harmon - Man One

Carolyn Holding - Woman Five

Jürgen Hooper - Man Two

Elena Hurst - Rosie Casals

Callie Rachelle Johnson - Woman Six

Lenne Klingaman - Woman Three

Nancy Lemenager - Woman One

Murphy Taylor Smith - Woman Four

Miles Borchard - Understudy

Sydney Feldman - Understudy

Kelli Harrington - Understudy

Nathe Rowbotham - Understudy

Hannah Ruwe - Understudy

Marlene Slaughter - Understudy

Jocelyn Zamudio - Understudy

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER (CST)

CST is a leading international theater company and the nation’s largest year-round theater dedicated to the works of Shakespeare. Under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Edward Hall and Executive Director Kimberly Motes, the Regional Tony Award recipient is committed to creating vivid, entertaining theatrical experiences that invigorate and engage people of all ages and identities by illuminating the complexity, ambiguity, and wonder of our world. Each year, nearly a quarter of a million people experience CST’s artistry through more than 12 productions. With Shakespeare at the heart of the artistic work, CST also produces compelling, contemporary stories from fresh voices of today. CST brings the world to Chicago and sends Chicago out into the world as Chicago’s foremost presenter of international theater, and consistent producer of North American and world premieres. Serving more students and teachers than any theater in the city, CST annually welcomes more than 20,000 students to performances and programs like Chicago Shakespeare SLAM, alongside professional development opportunities for teachers. CST activates its campus with three venues: 700-seat The Yard; the 500-seat Jentes Family Courtyard Theater; and the 200-seat Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio. Free programs like Shakes in the City bring performances to parks and community spaces across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. Shared humanity and unforgettable stories—now THIS is Chicago Shakespeare. chicagoshakes.com 

American Blues Theater Opens its 40th Anniversary Season With the World Premiere of THINGS WITH FRIENDS August 22 – October 5, 2025

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

American Blues Theater presents the World Premiere of 

THINGS WITH FRIENDS

By Artistic Affiliate Kristoffer Diaz

Directed by Artistic Affiliate Dexter Bullard

August 22 – October 5, 2025

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, is thrilled to open its 40th anniversary season with a world premiere by Artistic Affiliate Kristoffer Diaz, Things With Friends. The winner of the 2023 Blue Ink Playwrighting Award and workshopped through American Blues Theater, Things With Friends will receive its world premiere staging August 22 – October 5, 2025, under the direction of Artistic Affiliate Dexter Bullard. 

Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside states, “We’re thrilled to share Kristoffer Diaz’s provocative world premiere that will leave audiences breathless. Things With Friends received our 2023 Blue Ink Award for new work and its relevance has only grown in the interim. Pairing Dexter Bullard’s deft direction with this powerful script is sure to produce a night of theater audience will not forget.”

Manhattan. Burt and Adele are hosting a dinner party. Steak is on the stove. The George Washington Bridge has collapsed into the Hudson. Kristoffer Diaz has written a play about it. We’ve already said too much.

The cast of Things With Friends includes Audrey Billings* (Adele), Casey Campbell* (Burt), Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel (Vy), Maya Lou Hlava (Joony), Flaco Navaja (NYC), & Jon Hudson Odom* (Chabby).

The production team includes Grant Sabin* (scenic), Lily Walls* (costumes & wardrobe supervisor), Levi J. Wilkins (lights), Rick Sims* (sound), Amy Peter (properties), Richard Lundy* (stage manager), Michael Trudeau* (facilities manager), Nate Walczyk* (production manager & ME), Tom Daniel* (technical director), & Chris Walls (audio supervisor).

*denotes Ensemble member or Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater.

Tickets, priced 39.50-$49.50, are on sale now the American Blues Theater box office, online at www.americanbluestheater.com, or by phone at (773) 654-3103.

About the Artists

KRISTOFFER DIAZ (Playwright) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. Kristoffer is a playwright, screenwriter, musical librettist, and educator. His teaching interests include dramatic writing and contemporary US theater, with a special focus on new American plays and musicals. His musical Hell’s Kitchen (created with Alicia Keys) was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, including Best Book, and is currently running on Broadway. His play The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama, and has gone on to more than forty productions nationwide. Other full-length titles include Hercules (adapted from the Disney film for the Joseph Papp Public Theater’s Public Works program), Reggie Hoops, Welcome to Arroyo’s, #therevolution, Rebecca Oaxaca (Lays Down A Bunt), Expect Victory, and The Unfortunates. His work has been produced, commissioned, and developed at The Public Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Geffen Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, The Goodman, Second Stage, Victory Gardens, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Chelsea Factory, American Theater Company, The Atlantic, InterAct, Mixed Blood, The Orchard Project, Hip-Hop Theater Festival, The Lark, Summer Play Festival, Donmar Warehouse, and South Coast Repertory, among many others. Awards include the Guggenheim, Jerome, Van Lier, NYFA, and Gail Merrifield Papp Fellowships; New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award; Lucille Lortel, Equity Jeff, and OBIE Awards; and the Future Aesthetics Artist Regrant, among others. As a screenwriter, Kristoffer adapted the musical Rent for the Fox network, wrote on the Netflix series GLOW, and has developed original television pilots for HBO and FX. Kristoffer holds a BA from New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, an MFA from NYU’s Department of Dramatic Writing, and an MFA from Brooklyn College’s Performing Arts Management program. He teaches in both Gallatin and the Department of Dramatic Writing at the Tisch School of the Arts. Kristoffer sits on the board of New Dramatists (where he is an alumni playwright) and serves as an officer on the council of the Dramatists Guild.

DEXTER BULLARD (Director) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. Dexter has directed throughout Chicago since at theaters such as Steppenwolf, Goodman, Northlight, Victory Gardens, HOUSE, A Red Orchid, Next, Famous Door, and of course, American Blues: Tom & Jerry.  He directed Tracy Letts’ Linda Vista at Steppenwolf, Center Theater Group LA, Mies Julie and Sucker Punch at Victory Gardens, Christmas with Elvis at Chopin, and The Flick also at Steppenwolf.  On Broadway, he directed Linda Vista with Second Stage and Craig Wright’s Grace; Bug, Lady, and Mistakes Were Made Off-Broadway. Dexter is alumni director for the Second City developing original revues for Detroit, ETC and Second City Theatricals. Dexter founded and led Plasticene “a pioneer physical theater company” (Chicago Reader) and with the ensemble developed over fourteen critically-acclaimed experimental works appearing at venues including The Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theater NYC, Viaduct, Links Hall, the MCA and the Storefront. He has received a Jeff Citation, a Lucille Lortel Award, several Jeff Nominations, a Drama Desk Nomination, and was named “Best of Chicago” by Chicago Magazine. Dexter studied acting at Northwestern and received his MFA in Performance from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Dexter is a Professor of Acting at The Theatre School at DePaul and hosts ongoing classes for all levels with his own Studio. dexterbullard.com

AUDREY BILLINGS (Adele) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater. American Blues Theater credits include Mary Bailey in the annual production of It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! (Jeff Award nominations for Ensemble, Short Run Production, and Production-midsize); The Commons, Blue Ink Festival, and The Ripped Festical. Some favorite roles outside of Blues include: Emilie in A Red Orchid Theatre’s production of The Moors, Christmas Eve in the long-running production of Avenue Q at the Mercury Theater, Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar, Antonia in Man of la Mancha, and Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof. She has graced the stages at the Paramount Theatre, Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Theatre at the Center, and Lookingglass Theatre Company. Audrey is the managing director at A Red Orchid Theatre, bookkeeper for Visionary Eye Care Professionals, and a proud member of Actors’ Equity.

CASEY CAMPBELL (Burt) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater. American Blues Theater credits include Oklahoma (Jeff Award nominations for Supporting Actor & Musical-midsize), It’s a Wonderful Life (2006-2008), Holiday Cabaret Show, and The Ripped Festival. He is a professional voice-over actor who resides in Burbank, California. His television voice credits include: THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT (Regular VO for Comedy Cold Opens), MORE POWER (History Channel, Narrator), CUBS CORNERSTONES (Marquee Sports Network, Narrator), and the video games CALL OF DUTY: COLD WAR, TOPSPIN 2K24. Casey is also the voice of THE GENERAL for the THE GENERAL AUTO INSURANCE COMMERCIALS, as well as the exclusive voice for NBA TV. He recently also became the voice of Chester the Cheetah for CHEETOS. His other commercial voice-over work includes clients such as DODGE RAM, HBO MAX, GEICO, NINTENDO, MO’S SOUTHWEST GRILL, CARRABBAS, NISSAN, FORD, HULU, CARMAX, ECHO PARK, JOHN DEERE, MUCINEX, WALMART, LA RAMS, BIG BUS TOURS CHICAGO and LOS ANGELES, KANSAS CITY ROYALS, CASEY’S CONVENIENCE STORES, MENARDS, HOME DEPOT and many, many more. His on-camera works includes playing Chef Murphy on the first four seasons of Disney’s BUNK’D, as well as BIZAARDVARK, BEST FRIENDS WHENEVER, MIGHTY MED, MTV’s AWKWARD, HAPPYLAND and NBC’s SUPERSTORE. On camera commercial work includes AMAZON PRIME, CARMAX, TOYOTA, JOSE CUERVO, GEICO, CHEVY and an unfortunately named auto school called UTI (Universal Technical Institute). Theatre credits include “The Buddy Holly Story” at Drury Lane Oakbrook, “Troilus and Cressida” at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and “Fool For Love” at Los Angeles Fringe Festival.

CRUZ GONZALEZ-CADEL (Vy) is an award-winning theatre, film, and television actor originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Selected Chicago credits include: Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Fen, The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice and Electra (Court Theatre), The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci (Goodman Theatre); Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (Lookingglass Theatre Company); Lela & Co. (Steep Theatre Company; Jeff Award, Performer in a Principal Role) and The Abuelas, Hope: Part II of a Mexican Trilogy, La Havana Madrid and i put the fear of mexico in ’em at Teatro Vista, where she serves as an Artistic Collective member and Managing Director. Regional credits include: In The Heights (Marriott Theatre) and La Havana Madrid (South Coast Repertory) Film: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; Rounding, Heist 88, Single Car Crashes. Television: “Fargo”, “Chicago Med”, “The Chi”, “Empire”.

MAYA LOU HLAVA (Joony) is thrilled to be making her American Blues Theater Debut. Additional Chicago credits include, Prayer for the French Republic (Northlight Theatre); Little Mermaid, Christmas Carol, Shrek, White Christmas and Bye Bye Birdie (Drury Lane Theatre); The Penelopiad (Goodman Theatre); Happy Days Are Here (Again) and Zurich (Steep Theatre); The Best Damn Thing (The Understudy Cafe); Dory Fantasmagory and Last Stop On Marketplace (YPPT/Greenhouse Theater); Spring Awakening (Porchlight Theater); Act 5, The Killing Game and The Nether (A Red Orchid Theatre); Oklahoma (Marriott Theatre); Violet (Griffin Theater); Trevor (Writers Theatre); The Secret Garden (Court Theatre); Jane Eyre (Lifeline Theatre); The Wheel (Steppenwolf Theatre); Film and Television credits include –  Will Trent, The Perpetrator, Chicago Med, The Chi, and The Big Leap. Maya is represented by Stewart Talent.

FLACO NAVAJA (NYC) is thrilled to make his American Blues Theater debut. Born and raised in the Bronx, Navaja is a legendary poet, dynamic singer, seasoned actor, and film performer. As a member of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, he toured internationally, bringing his voice to audiences around the globe. His award-winning one-man show, Evolution of a Sonero, has toured nationally to critical acclaim. A longtime collaborator of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Navaja was featured on the Warriors album and sings the theme song for the PBS Kids animated series Alma’s Way, with lyrics written by Miranda. Theatre credits include The Seven (New York Theatre Workshop), among others. His film and television appearances include Fighting, Gun Hill Road, Pride and Glory, and East Willy B. With his salsa band, The Razorblades, Navaja continues to blend spoken word, soul, salsa, and street into an unforgettable live experience.

JON HUDSON ODOM (Chabby) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. Chicago credits: The Reclamation of Madison Hemings (Jeff Award nomination for Performer) & On Clover Road (American Blues Theater); No Man’s Land, Describe the Night, The Seagull, Ms Black For President (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Toni Stone, A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre); Witch (Writers Theatre) Regional: Ain’t No Mo’, An Octoroon, Botticelli in the Fire, Shipwreck (Woolly Mammoth Theatre); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Denver Center for the Performing Arts); The Magic Play (Actors Theatre of Louisville); Angels in America (Round House Theatre & Olney Theatre Center) TV: “Lovecraft Country “(HBO), “Somebody Somewhere” (HBO Max), “South Side” (HBO Max), “Chicago PD” (NBC) Film: “The Year Between”, “A Savage Nature”, “Reporting for Christmas.” Five-time nominee and recipient of the Helen Hayes Awards & Jeff Award nominee. Education: University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Represented by Paonessa Talent and Kaplan Mills Entertainment.              

Featuring: Audrey Billings* (Adele), Casey Campbell* (Burt), Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel (Vy), Maya Hlava (Joony), Flaco Navaja (NYC), & Jon Hudson Odom* (Chabby).       

Creative Team: Grant Sabin* (scenic), Lily Walls* (costumes & wardrobe supervisor), Levi J. Wilkins (lights), Rick Sims* (sound), Amy Peter (properties), Richard Lundy* (stage manager), Michael Trudeau* (facilities manager), Nate Walczyk* (production manager & ME), Tom Daniel* (technical director), & Chris Walls (audio supervisor).

Dates: August 22 – October 5, 2025

Schedule:                     

Wednesdays: 2:00 PM  (Sept 10 & 17); 7:30 PM (Sept 24 only)

Thursdays: 7:30 PM

Fridays: 7:30 PM

Saturdays: (Sept 6, 20 & Oct 4 only); 7:30 PM (Aug 23, 30 & Sept 13, 27 & Oct 4)

Sundays: 2:30 PM

Location:  American Blues Theater, 5627 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago

Ticket prices:  Previews: $39.50; Regular Run: $49.50; Opening night with reception: $64.50

Box office:  Buy online at www.americanbluestheater.com or by calling (773) 654-3103.

Public Programming and Special Events

American Blues Theater is excited to offer audiences even more ways to engage with artists, neighbors and the larger community through its two programs The Commons and @Home Accessibility Series

The Commons features readings, live concerts, open mics, game nights, town halls and more at American Blues. The @Home Accessibility Series features readings, live concerts, and town halls from the comfort of home via Zoom. For the most up-to-date programming schedule or to purchase tickets, visit www.americanbluestheater.com. Additional programming will be announced throughout the season.

About American Blues Theater

Winner of the prestigious National Theatre Company Award from American Theatre Wing (Tony Awards). American Blues Theater is an Ensemble of artists committed to producing new and classic diverse stories that ask the question: “What does it mean to be American?”

The diverse and multi-generational artists have established the second-oldest professional Ensemble theater in Chicago. As of 2025, the theater and artists received 239 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nominations that celebrate excellence in Chicago theater and 44 Black Theatre Alliance Awards. The artists are honored with Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize nominations, Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards and numerous other accolades.